Kahrs: Love them, Hate them, or...?

[Tallball]

There have been a couple of threads about specific Kahrs lately. Why not something more general?

Thanks to everyone who helped with ideas on my search for a pocket 45acp pistol. The Kahr CM45 seemed like the best choice for me. It's the smallest and lightest and I might actually carry it.

Today I picked it up from my FFL. I already have a PM9, PM40, and MK40. I like the triggers, I like the sights, the others have been reliable, they fit in my pockets, I can shoot them decently, etc.

I got the CM45 used for $401.43 OTD. It would say it was shot and carried "some" (not just barely, but not a lot). It came with a flush mag and extended mag. It was bone dry and dirty and a bit challenging to rack. Now it's clean and lubed and racks fine. Everything looks good and it feeds rounds fine. I already have a range trip scheduled with friends tomorrow and look forward to trying it out. The 9's and 40's are roughly the same size. This one is a bit larger. It's a good fit for larger coat pockets or cargo pockets that smaller pistols would get turned around in. I have XXL hands and I can get my full pinky on the flush grip.

So do you hate Kahrs, or love Kahrs, or are they just kinda meh? Do you have great Kahr gear, pics, stories, opinions, or prophecies?

Have fun with the poll. I'll post something tomorrow about how the CM45 shoots. (Probably a lot like the other ones.)

Kahr CM45

• Tallball
• Jul 12, 2023

 

[mcb]

I had a CW9 for less than a year. I really like that gun for CCW use but it proved unreliable and the customer service was even worst. With less than 1000rd through the gun, the trigger bar broke. The customer service was very difficult to work with just to get an RMA number and then it took another 3 months to fix the gun. The repaired gun was never right it would light strike 2-3 rounds per box (even with premium ammo) and I never trusted it to carry after that. The idea of dealing with customer service against to fix the light strike issue was so repugnant that I traded it (with full disclosure) to a buddy for an XD-45. This was ~10 years ago and hopefully they have improved their customer service.

 

[PistoleroWadcutterGANG]

Kinda embarrassed to say I've never shot one. When working at the store we sold quiet a few. Never had to return one to factory. I need to stop by a rental range if they have one and give them a go.

 

[JERRY]

Had a K9 and MK9 back in the early 2000s. Good guns but heavy for their capacity; traded them off.
Had a PM9 that was a gem but I traded it for a scandium J frame that I just had to have.
Had a PM45 that took kitchen table gunsmithing and 800 rounds before it would fire two magazines without a failure to feed; I let it go at a loss.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I've had a CW9 a while ago and it replaced my S&W 642 as my BUG. Not being able to leave well enough alone, I had the trigger pull smoother and the edges of the slide stop beveled.

Mine has been reliable over maybe 3000 rounds. I usually have it loaded with Remington 147gr Golden Sabre +P. It did take a couple of hundred rounds before it would feed when racking it by hand.

I love the quality, but wish I hadn't gone with the economy model...just looks a little plain.

 

[Nasty Canasta]

Post deleted due to thin skinned forum member that felt I was disrespecting him.

 

[dobedo]

I have a Black all SST K-40 for 10 years now, it has been a great gun.

 

[Jimfern]

I have an all steel K9 and really like it.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I don’t see a category of “Never tried one”

 

[Tallball]

I don’t see a category of “Never tried one”

Seriously? There's a handgun you haven't tried? I'm amazed!

 

[someguy2800]

Both. Definitely both.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Seriously? There's a handgun you haven't tried? I'm amazed!

I also only shot a M&P semi auto once… like 3 shots!

 

[Mike J]

I'm not going to vote. I have a CM9. I bought it because it was a pocket 9. It does work. I am fine with the trigger. It gives me a hard time because of the size of the grip. I picked up something else slightly larger recently & I have been thinking about letting it go. I guess I should look at how much they go for now & tell some of my acquaintances. Let someone who might like it better have it & turn the money into something else firearm related. The reason I wont vote is that I have never shot any of their larger or steel framed pistols. I wouldn't feel like I was giving them a fair shake judging their whole line up by one pistol.

 

[lee n. field]

There have been a couple of threads about specific Kahrs lately. Why not something more general?

Thanks to everyone who helped with ideas on my search for a pocket 45acp pistol. The Kahr CM45 seemed like the best choice for me. It's the smallest and lightest and I might actually carry it.

Today I picked it up from my FFL. I already have a PM9, PM40, and MK40. I like the triggers, I like the sights, the others have been reliable, they fit in my pockets, I can shoot them decently, etc.

I got the CM45 used for $401.43 OTD.

Ouch. The one used on I can remember seeing was at a local place known for pricing high, and it was at $325 (IIRC).

It would say it was shot and carried "some" (not just barely, but not a lot). It came with a flush mag and extended mag. It was bone dry and dirty and a bit challenging to rack. Now it's clean and lubed and racks fine. Everything looks good and it feeds rounds fine. I already have a range trip scheduled with friends tomorrow and look forward to trying it out. The 9's and 40's are roughly the same size. This one is a bit larger. It's a good fit for larger coat pockets or cargo pockets that smaller pistols would get turned around in. I have XXL hands and I can get my full pinky on the flush grip.

So do you hate Kahrs, or love Kahrs, or are they just kinda meh? Do you have great Kahr gear, pics, stories, opinions, or prophecies?

I'm going to vote option 3. "It's OK and it goes bang."

I'm late to the game with Kahrs. I picked up a CM40, and later a CM9, used and for cheap in the last 2-3 years.

They seem well made, and optimized to be as small as possible.

 

[Tallball]

@Mike J , the steel-framed Kahr I have feels more like a "fine" or expensive pistol... and it actually is, IMHO. The latest one I got, the CM, feels kinda cheapo. It it goes bang, I don't care. The PM pistols feel in between.

@lee n. field , I won the CM45 with a spare mag for a bid of $315. The sales tax, shipping, and FFL were $86.43. Ouch.

I read the (unopened) manual just now that came with the CM45. It says not to slingshot the slide because the pistol might not go into battery all the way. I'll try to remember to use the slide release.

I voted "okay" because they're semiautos and I like revolvers better. If for some reason I "need" to carry one of the Kahrs due to their size/shape/ammo, that's cool. I prefer revolvers, but the Kahrs at least have a revolveresque trigger and are DAO without any safeties or anything. And they're small/light for their calibers... unless you get a steel one, in which case it doubles as a bludgeon or very expensive hammer.

KahrMK40

• Tallball
• Aug 17, 2022

 

[DeepSouth]

I only have 2 but I really like both, I’m a fan of the triggers. I shoot a lot of older smiths, and apparently that common, to like both.

I’d like to own about 3 more.

 

[NMexJim]

PM9 no issues what-so-ever. Liked it from the start.
P380 lots of break in and some picky for ammo. Once those issues worked through, I’m good. At 11 oz, the little gun really makes summer carry a non-issue.

 

[shoobe01]

Had a first gen P9 since 2005. Bought off a friend so it's older than that. It's been the small gun in my EDC that whole time. Now is the mostly-fanny-pack gun for gym, playgrounds, pools, etc. Upgraded over time to improve things that required changes (e.g. the mag latch failed because the design wasn't great, they fixed it) and got it cut for the RDS by... I forget. If anyone cares I can look for who did it as they did a great job.



Dead reliable, in all conditions. As accurate as it can be shot (small, "DAO") and with the RDS I can do head shots at 25 yards, body shots at 50 yards or more most any day, sometimes further (I can do double that with the M&P).

No plans to get rid of it or replace it ever.

 

[upptick]

I had a CW9 that I traded. The magazine didn't fit flush but left a little gap and it would constantly pinch the edge of my palm. I have a cw45 that I like a lot -- it doesn't have the same problem and will even take some 1911 magazines without modifications.

 

[.455_Hunter]

The Kahr's have a long, smooth trigger, but I don't believe "DAO" is a correct description for them- the strikers are almost fully energized with the trigger at rest, and the slide must cycle before re-striking. I would also prefer a heel mag release, or least some fencing or recessmemt of the Kahr side button.

 

[JohnKSa]

Yes, they operate somewhat like Glocks but the striker spring is compressed more in the Kahr with a round chambered than in Glocks.

Based on some measurements I did on a Kahr P9.

Immediately before the striker is released to fire, the striker spring is compressed about 13mm. About 10mm of that is done by the slide preloading/pre-cocking, about 3mm is done by the trigger action.

Looking only at the striker spring compression in terms of compression distance indicates that the preload accounts for about 77% of the total compression.

Spring force is a function of the square of the compression distance, so to find out how much force is on the striker as a result of preload vs. trigger action, we have to do a little math. It works out that the last 3mm of cocking action by the trigger accounts for about 41% of the force that the striker spring will exert on the striker.

So, depending on how you want to look at it, the Kahr striker (at least for the P9) is either about 77% cocked (spring compression distance) or about 60% cocked (in terms of spring force) when a round is chambered.

For comparison, Glocks are 50-60% cocked (spring compression distance) or about 25% cocked (in terms of spring force) when a round is chambered.

 

[hemiram]

A friend has carried a Kahr 9mm for a long time. He says it's reliable, but it wasn't when we shot it a couple of years ago. They never interested me enough to even consider buying one, and his gun jamming seemed to help with my never wanting to own one.

 

[sparkyfender]

Replaced my Tomcat with a K9 back in the 90s. Then bought an MK9 which I carried for many years, a great gun even if heavy.
I still will tote it every now and then, I just find it a bit hard to be accurate with and have drifted to larger pistols.

 

[Tallball]

If you want a carry pistol that's single-stack, small/light for its caliber, you like DA revolver triggers, and you don't want a safety, the polymer Kahrs are worth looking into, IMHO. If you want the same thing, but heavy and fancy, the steel ones are nice. (I think mine and my case-hardened SAA's are as close as I come to a "barbecue gun".)

If you don't like those qualities, they're not for you. It seems like a lot of people are more into double-stacks these days. It's great to have so many good choices.

 

[nofendertom]

I have a Kahr K9, all steel (not stainless) that I have had since the mid 90s when they first came out. Love it !
It has been reliable and accurate for over 20 thousand rounds.